Province ‘milking ground’ for contractors: Yoto

WESTERN Governor Toboi Awi Yoto says the province is a “milking ground” for contractors who left behind a lot of incomplete projects.
Yoto said most of the contractors were locals.
“They have taken our money and now are living a luxury life on stolen money – people’s blood money,” he said.
Yoto yesterday attended the signing of the agreement between the Ok Tedi Mining Ltd (OTML) and the China Railway Construction Engineering Group Co Ltd for the upgrading and sealing of the Tabubil-Kiunga road.
“I believe the contractor will deliver this project for us,” he said
“They have gone through a rigorous process and have qualified as the successful bidder.”
Yoto said there was so much talk on giving opportunities to local contractors.
“(But) if they want to take on contracts such as this, they need to prove that they can do it,” he said.
“We have some contractors that are doing good work. But for us in Western, it’s like a milking place for contractors.
“They go in, they dig holes, cut down a few trees and say or we have finished all our money on mobilisation. We don’t have any more money and we have to go back and ask for more.
“And there is variations (which) keeps on increasing the contract value.
“And nothing gets done in Western.
“Most of the people who have done this to us are locals – Papua New Guinean contractors.
“It’s really not fair on the people of Western.”